Title

How do apples decompose?
Problem Scenario
This will teach everyone whether to store their fruit in light places or dark places. It will save money because if the apple is put in the correct spot, the apple will be able to be kept longer because the decomposition will be slower.
Broad Question
How do fruit decompose?

Specific Question

How will apples decompose based on the amount of light they are given?

Hypothesis

I hypothesize that an apple will decompose faster with more light, and more slowly with less light.
Graph of Hypothesis

Graph of decomposition with light.

Variables
Independent Variable:
The independent variable is the amount of light.

Dependent Variable:

The dependent variable is the amount of decomposition.

Variables That Need To Be Controlled:

The controlled variables are the type of apple, the area where the apple was placed, and time.

Vocabulary List That Needs Explanation

Decomposition--When something is broken down.

General Plan

First I will weigh the apples, and put them in plastic bags. Each day, I will record the firmness and color. Then, after eight days, I will take the apples out of their bags, and weigh them again.

Potential Problems And Solutions

The apples could be moved, so I will make a sign that says "Don't touch."
Safety Or Environmental Concerns
The light bulb in the light will get hot, so I may accidentally touch the bulb and get a burn.
Experimental Design

What is your experimental unit?:

My experimental unit are the apples. There are going to be six of them.

Number Of Trials:

There will be six trials.

Number Of Subjects In Each trial:

There will be two apples in each trial.

Number of Observations:

There will be six apples, and they will be weighed twice, and the height of each apple will be measured twice. So, the amount of observations will be 6*2*2, which is twenty-four. There will be twenty-four observations.

When data will be collected?:

I will collect the data when I weigh the apples and when I weigh the apples the second time. I will also collect data over the whole course of the experiment: After every day, I will record the firmness and color of the apple.

Where will data be collected?:

The data will be collected in the living room of my house.
(add the correct headings from the experimental design page before beginning)

Resources and Budget Table

Item	Number needed	Where I will get this	Cost
Apple	6	Local Supermarket	$
Poster	1	Staples	$5.00
Plastic Bags	6	My house	$0.00

Detailed Procedure

1. I will weigh the apples.
2. I will put the apples in sealed plastic bags.
3. I will give three of the apples light, and the other three no light.
4. I will wait until the end of each day, for eight days
5. Then, after those eight days, I will record the amount that the apples had decomposed by taking them out of the bags and weighing them again.

Diagram

File Not Found

Photo List

I will take pictures at he beginning of the experiment, and at the end of the experiment to see the changes in the apples.

Time Line

2/1/13--Procedure, timeline, and photo list done. DONE
2/4/13--Begin experiments, no later than 2/4/13. DONE
3/1/13--Experiments done. DONE
3/7/13--Analysis done. DONE
3/15/13--Discussion and background completed. DONE
3/22/13--Posters done.
3/29/13--SCIENCE FAIR!

Data Table

Trials	Decomposition (Weight of Apples)
3

Data Analysis

All Raw Data

Apple 1 (Dark): Height Before 6.7 centimeters Height After 6.5 centimeters
Weight Before 168 grams Weight After 166.5 grams
Apple 2 (Light): Height Before 6.8 centimeters Height After 6.5 centimeters
Weight Before 169 grams Weight After 166.5 grams
Apple 3 (Dark): Height Before 6.7 centimeters Height After 6.5 centimeters
Weight Before 169 grams Weight After 167.3 grams
Apple 4 (Light): Height Before 7.8 centimeters Height After 7.5 centimeters
Weight Before 184 grams Weight After 181.3 grams
Apple 5 (Dark): Height Before 7.8 centimeters Height After 7.6 centimeters
Weight Before 179 grams Weight After 177.6 grams
Apple 6 (Light): Height Before 6.8 centimeters Height After 6.5 centimeters
Weight Before 176 grams Weight After 173.6 grams

Graphs

Height of Apples Graph

Apple Weight Difference Graph

Weight of Apples Graph

Photo

Results

My results show that the apples place in a light place were the ones which decomposed more. The apples in a light place lost more weight than the ones placed in a dark place. Also, the ones in a light place ended up shortening more than the ones in the dark place. The apples in a light place had a larger weight difference than the apples placed in a dark place. So, the apples that I put in a light place decomposed more than than the ones put in a dark place.

Conclusion

My hypothesis stated that an apple would decompose faster with more light, and slower with less light. I accept my hypothesis. Each apple that was placed in a lighter spot decomposed more than each apple placed in a dark place. The apples placed in a light place had their weight go down more than the apples placed in a dark place. Also, the apples in a light place got shorter faster than the ones in a dark place. The difference in weight was higher for apples in a light place than in a dark place.

Discussion

The patterns that I saw during this experiment was that the apples that were in a light area grew shorter and lost weight fast than the apples placed in a area. The weight difference was higher in the apples that I put in a light place. The independent and dependent variables worked well together; the more amount of light that I gave a particular apple, then the more decomposition that particular apple had. This experiment proved my hypothesis correct, and I got the answer that I suspected that I would have. The experiment that I did went smoothly, and there weren't any errors in the procedure. If I could do something different next time, I would need more time so I could have a more vast amount of observations, and I would try and do different things to the apples (such as cut them; put them in something, such as water or soda) to see if that would affect the amount of decomposition during any amount of time.

Benefit to Community and/or Science

This project could let people know where to put their apples when they buy them. If they set them in the right place, they could keep apples for longer instead of having to keep going back to the supermarket to get more apples. It will also decrease the amount of quality more slowly if the apples are kept in the right spot. So If the apples are kept in the appropriate place, either light or dark, they will be able to be kept for a longer period of time, and it could increase the quality of the apple over time.
Background Research
References
K, Josh. "Apple Decomposition." Apple Decomposition. Josh K., 6 Mar. 2012. Wed. 26 Feb. 2013.

Uhi, Inaki. "Apple Decomposition - Biology-Online." Apple Decomposition - Biology-Online. Inaki Uhi, Wednesday Aug. 2006. Wed. 04 Mar. 2013.
Abstract
I did this experiment to figure out whether a light or dark place is the proper place for apples so that they can be kept longer. To do this, I put three apples in a light place and three apples in a dark place. I recorded the weight and weight difference, and I also recorded height. The data that I recorded before and after show that apples put in a light place decompose more than apples placed in a dark place.